There's no 'war on whites,' Congressman Brooks, but you are fighting a losing battle: opinion and live chat

"This is another unfortunate opportunity where I do not have to defend Republican principles.I have to defend Republicans." Darius Foster said.

Rep. Mo Brooks did not back off his "war on whites" stance during a radio appearance Tuesday morning. (AL.com file photo)

Dear Rep. Mo Brooks,

When you went on the radio this week, and told the world that Democrats are fighting a "war on whites," you broke my first rule for Alabama politicians.

Do not embarrass Alabama.

I understand that there are a lot of Alabamians who aren't embarrassed by what you said, but let's face it, that sound you're hearing, that's probably the Daily Show calling, or if things really get bad, Stephen Colbert.

AL.com Opinion

About the writer Kyle Whitmire writes political commentary for the Alabama Media Group. His work appears regularly in newspapers in Huntsville, Birmingham and Mobile and is online at AL.com all the time. Reach him at kwhitmire@al.com.

When an Alabama politician gets on the airwaves and starts ranting about race wars and whatnot, that's going to solicit a certain reaction from the national media. You know this, which is why you did it and why you haven't backed down. You're reveling in it, and you need to stop, at least long enough to ask yourself one question.

Just who do you think you're talking to?

Here's why that's important.

When I watched Republican National Convention two years ago, I saw a sea of white faces.

When I watched the Democratic National Convention, the mix looked a lot more like America.

Democrats have mastered the skill of cobbling together lots of minorities into a majority, while Republicans such as you have grown resentful of their success.

There are voters who think the president is a Kenyan Muslim. There are voters who couldn't be more intimidated or agitated by him if he showed up in the White House Rose Garden wearing a dashiki and chanting, "Kill whitey!"

You can pander to those folks if you want and probably hang on to your office for the rest of your political career.

But if you want to do some good for your party and the country, you'll have to talk to some folks who might not look like you.

If you're trying to persuade minority voters to see things from your point of view, you're doing it wrong.

Ask yourself again, who are you talking to? The first group or the second?

Darius Foster is one of the folks who's doing it right. He's running for Alabama House District 56, a majority black district currently held by a Democrat. Foster is a black Republican, but as he's said from the start of his campaign, you can't pigeonhole him so easily. He might have an uphill climb, but his campaign has already gained national attention for its creativity and open-mindedness.

And your "war on whites" business isn't helping him.

"This is another unfortunate opportunity where I do not have to defend Republican principles," Foster said in a statement Tuesday. "I have to defend Republicans."

Foster says you have a right to say what you want, but it's not a message that appeals to the needs of many voters. Instead, he says, we need to have a war on unemployment or a war on poor education.

"Do some Democrats lead with the divisive issue of race? Yes, but there are plenty of Democrats who stay above the fray," Foster said. "Is it frustrating to serve as a Representative in such a climate? I am sure it is. However, Representative Brooks' decision to take a play out of the same playbook does not only hurt the image of the state I love; it also does not serve her citizens' interests."

You see, Foster knows who he's talking to, and rather than whipping up a base with divisive comments on race, he's trying to show voters a different way of looking at things.

Rather than someone who embarrasses Alabama, he's the type of person who can make us proud.

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